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waljamada

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Everything posted by waljamada

  1. A Key Cutting Edge Slash Cut Bang Battle Engaged Hagire Heartbreak A Walja Mada Haiku Glad to hear its not hagire.
  2. Ken, yeah it's got some good clusters, have to wait to see it in hand but in full critique mode I do see some areas that may be a little too "hard"ori polished. Posted good and maybe bad pics below.
  3. Thanks for the feedback everyone! I appreciate learning what others see, both the good and bad. In the end I went with it because it's something that fills some example gaps I wanted in my collection and I strangely wanted to get behind Naomune. When the sword was made it was still 65 years before Japan got electricity, still attempting to be closed off from Western Civilization and during the last generational breaths of the "old" ways before the outside world irrevocably changed Japan forever. I like that its an example of those just pre-Boshin War era's Samurai swordsmiths (thanks for sharing on that Thomas) , especially one that got into the publishing/writing end, living while the samurai roles were also slowly irrevocably changing. I have always had a strong interest in societies/culture, politics, governments, academics/intellects and my degree is in International Relations with minor in History (which speaks to what pulls at me) so I'm not shocked aspects of a maker like Naomune bleeds into my purchasing decisions. As to the blade itself, I definitely bought what I like. Then again I like a lot of things =|:^) I can love a tachi with naginata-hi and 32" nagasa in shirasaya with mystery writer sayagaki. I will keep the polish as-is and I can already tell you if you bring that blade out to non-nihonto fans it will give an impression. So I have a gateway piece to share with people that will catch an eye more easily like art does. Still with aaalllll that said, the logical side of me really hopes I'm not too far underwater on it =|;^)
  4. John and Chris, Oddly I never thought of that option. I will ask Aoi if they can arrange that and check out costs. In the end though I can still enjoy it as-is and I can feel my nihonto wallet fiercely tightening at the moment.
  5. I'll probably never know what it says but an NMB user in 2010 posted this article on the smith.
  6. Baba, sadly more like 6.2k after all said and done. Personally, I expect something special (to me at least) and of a high quality for that amount with a sprinkle of pizzazz. 6.2k is a number range that average Joe and Janes would think you're crazy for spending on an antique Japanese sword. This one I will say has that bit of pizzazz but what interests me most of all is actually the maker. I love that it was a guy who rose the ranks starting as a cavalryman to some notable prominence under an Uta Daimyo whose history I can research. Kind of feel like it's a special order blade by Naomune for Naomune. Then the aspect where he studied nihonto, hounded swordsmiths for education, learned all he could and then published works on the craft of nihonto and metallurgical theories is really cool to me. No idea how good he was at any of this but he had the heart! There aren't that many surviving works by him and to me a guy like that is the exact kind of guy that would try putting a naginata-hi on a tachi. I wish it wasn't a kesho/hadori polish (will die on the sashikomi polish is better hill), wish the kissaki was bigger but what can you do and some more age would have been nice, but if it had all those it might be out of my budget. Would have felt amazing about the buy if I got it with the toku hozon papers in the 4k range and at 6.2k I feel I paid a "I just want this premium" and have no idea if I'd be able to get what I paid back if need be. That's the collectors gamble and accepted risk.
  7. John, I haven't pulled the trigger yet. I did try but got some 3D confirmation error that I have no idea what it is so waiting on a response. I do sit a bit uneasy with paying 6k for a fun item because ive never gone to this degree before. Nihonto's allure has a way of having cost creep that Ive noticed myself slowly normalize the increasing costs that I wouldnt in other areas of my life. Same as art collecting etc...and all hobbies/passions probably...and it is awesome and brings me intrigue/joys. To somewhat navigate this I follow a rule that I can't buy fun items via debt.
  8. Greetings, Hoping to be able to learn what this sayagaki says as far as the photo quality allows. Thank anyone in advance for your learned assistance!
  9. Surfson, I cant read the sayagaki at all so have no clue. Was hoping someone could clue me in on what it says for reasons like you mentioned. If it doesn't match that's odd at best. Turned the sayagaki pics the right way up, added all the sections to one photo and sharpened them as best I can to hopefully help anyone that can read it.
  10. Jake, yeah not sure what's going on down there. You can see on one of the pics below the end of the nakago is cut at an angle for some reason...can't imagine why.
  11. Jussi, Thank you, that info was wonderful and loved seeing some other examples of his blades. I actually think its quite cool that he got into the art/technique of swordmaking to the point of publishing works. Thank you very much! Marco, Yeah, this is literally the first tachi I've seen with a naginata-hi ever. It's an odd pairing. David, I never knew that. Thank you for sharing that. I just looked up all the toku hozon blades they have currently and they all use that "blade is polished" verbiage. Does he polish himself or just have a "guy" for it? Shogun, Been looking for quite a while and besides one Gray had at the last Chicago Sword Show (and I wish I bought it) and one on eBay with kizu-ware I dont remember running across many naginata-hi blades. I did haggle and the price would be less than listed and weirdly the dollar is really powerful right now into yen. Good time to buy. I will keep researching and try to further find more price comparisons for naginata-hi and other late edo toku hozons blades before I move forward.
  12. It is signed with a tachi mei, so I think my calling it a katana above is incorrect. So if the maker went for a tachi shape that makes a proportionally smaller kissaki make more sense. I do aesthetically prefer katana proportions over tachi.
  13. Closest I've got, but it looks like bamboo/grasses rather than pines....so only meets 50% of the criteria. Horimono and tsuba have a tiger.
  14. Greetings all, So I'm negotiating on this blade to see if it's something I will purchase and wanted to ask opinions. It would be my biggest purchase yet and looking for perspectives so I don't make a bad choice. I defer to the compendium of collectors. Been on a quest for an o-kissaki blade with naginata-hi and this mostly hits all my check boxes and a 32" nagasa doesn't hurt. I'm unable to read the toku hozon papers or the sayagaki but from the description I believe it's saying that a daimyo or person of esteem worked to make the blade along with a sword smith in 1813. Is this a "cool" factor on market or something that could be a negative? Also do the papers actually mention co-attributions to any specific smith or just the name of the guy who worked on it alongside a swordsmith? Perhaps there is mention of a smith on the sayagaki? Or perhaps he made it himself just under supervision? Lastly anyone heard of something published named "Token Gikai"? Attached below are the photos of the blade and here is the description: *the sayagaki photos show in my gallery as upright but can't seem to get them to post that way. Katana in Shirasaya (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token) Signature : Numata Naomune Bunka 9 8 Gatsu Explanation: This sword was made in Bunka 9th August. (We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyo-jyo saku Jyo saku, and regular saku) This sword belongs to Jyo Jyo Saku ranking. The blade was polished. Habaki: copper single Habaki. Blade length: 83.3 cm or 32.8 inches. Sori :2.6cm or 1.024 inches. Mekugi : 2 Width at the hamachi : 3.4 cm or 1.34inches. Width at the Kissaki: 2.6 cm or 1.024 inches. Kasane : 0,88 cm or 0.346 inches. The weight of the sword:1105 grams. Era : Edo period Bunk era. 1813. Shape: The blade is very long and wide and thick with deep sori and also long kissaki, Jigane: Koitame had and Mokume had mixed with jinie attach Hamon: Nie deck Gunome midair and Togari Gunome Midare with Ashi work. In Hamon, many Sunagashi and Kinsuji work active temper line. Special feature: Numata Naomune was working at Higo who was very healthy Taimyo 6000 koku and loved Japanese sword, He decided to work under the Suishinshi Masahide and published (Token Gikiai) probably the sword was made by different high-ranking swordsmen which is Nagusami Uchi.The sword was engraved Tachi Mei, some daimyo made sword by himself as called Nagusme chi. Some Daimyo tried to make Japaanese swords like Mito Rekko and Ichige Tokurin. This sword is almost same as Nagusame chi. The sword is named as Tachimei is qute few. and also Nakago style is almost Motohira style. The nakago line is small reached different place like Motohira and masayuki. From Aoi Art : At glance, the blade looks like Masao and Naokatsu Soden Bizen high ranking sword. according to the sayagaki, he was working as Hosokawa family’s chief retainer. I think he loved swords and decided to make himself with his sword makers NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token Aoi Art estimation paper: whole Oshigata
  15. A wiser soul than I may be able to tell more about the blade via it's hozon papers. Also tsuba is cool.
  16. Love them, they bring my heart back to "Charlottes Web" the animated film.
  17. They even look great with the display. Adds that nice color splash.
  18. Thank you Jake, got my two orange and love them! You've helped me upgrade my nihonto accoutrements.
  19. I recognize that sword actually. I thought the blade had a great choji style hamon with some other cool features and looked a meaty blade. Fittings are mostly newer with some edo menuki/tsuba and I do like leather ito tsukas so overall its still a sleek koshirae in my opinion. Like others mentioned the mei was likely removed because it had a gimei signature and then was attributed with the white papers to the different smith. Would possibly (probably?) paper now as a different smith, but one would hope even with white papers it was a solid educated guess. A member here told me they didn't think it was the smith (i cant remember who it was atteibuted to) in the kicho papers.
  20. A "provenance" blade really is another level of cool. Have one type 98 with a name carved on the tsuba but I don't think ill ever be able to attribute it to any individual.
  21. Tom, this story reminded me of a collector I met who I know found some great swords that has been collecting since the 70's. I visited him and saw so...so....soooo very many swords. I call him sometimes just to talk and next time I ring him I'll ask him for some greatest finds compilation and share it here with his permission. Always wanted to film an interview with him....I'll see if he'd be interested.
  22. This line from that article was pure gold: "That friend offered him $300. The new owner figured it was worth far more than that. So he lost a friend and took it to a sword show." I wonder what problems it caused the new Japanese owner... Also found this compilation of Jim's articles on Ray's site: https://swordsofjapan.com/nihonto-library/jim-kurrasch-articles/
  23. Thank you, I appreciate the attempt! My search goes on!
  24. DickH, no need to feel you have to defend yourself personally. Like I said it's not personal and this discussion has been done a hundred times over on these forums. The stance is to protect blades from people attempting polishes that destroy a blades potential future preservation. The guys who have been around long enough have seen many blades ruined by such attempts, and that hurts the nihonto heart. Furthermore, in the theme of the post topic, if a true treasure is found on ebay it's critical they go into the right hands for polishing/preservation. If im being open, I personally feel If you know people who can bring that specific sword back to life with a solid degree of quality and go through the effort/expense then I can understand that. I agree it would otherwise most likely be in a sad state for the rest of its life. But like I wrote, it's not personal and posts on amateur/hobbyists polishing nihonto will get resistance for good reasons. It was just a heads up.
  25. DickH, found a nice little article that briefly mentions becoming a togishi (up to 10 years training, its a serious endeavor) and goes into traditional Japanese blade polishing. https://www.japanaccents.com/swords/Japanese-sword-polishing Will give you a bit of info on how it is done which is very intricate. It's not about economics but simply very specific knowledge, skills, techniques and hard earned experience in traditional nihonto passed down from generations of dedicated artisans. It really is very different than polishing a mill steel blade and the nihonto community wishes to see the blades handled the best way possible. It's also not personal towards your friends abilities or a professional/hobby bias; but an important protective goal in the nihonto field/community for these historical/art nihonto pieces.
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